by other smaller pieces of wood, placed horizontally, they formed a dense net topped by another dense net of smaller pieces of wood, like a roof that made any escape impossible. At the rear, a sturdy door was bolted shut after all the occupants were on board. In a short time both carts were full. Almices counted twelve people in his cart and six in the other. The occupants of the other cart were more or less strong men, all with shackles on hands and feet and all connected by the same chain. They seemed like dangerous men, judging by the measures taken by their custodians, eight heavily armed men escorted that cart. But only two guardians guarded their cart, one sitting in front of the cage and the other on foot behind. Almices then stopped to observe his fellow travellers. His sisters stood beside him, with no space to sit. In front, along with the driver of the cart, five young women who were around twenty years old, with jet black hair, and oily skin, their traits seemed of distant lands. On the other hand, the woman who Nerisa spoke to during the night was pleasing with the custodians that it was a mistake, that she had to wait for her father. Next to her, a couple, and their son, about the age of Almices, were hugging.
They saw the slave master arrive in a lavish cart adorned with brightly coloured fabrics that bore four robust ebony-coloured porters. The trafficker had put on his best attire. He led the entourage. They crossed the square and went south, Almices was surprised to leave behind the path they took with Zamar the day before.
"Where are they taking us, Almices?”
"I suppose to sell us, Janira; but I don't know if in Tyre, we didn’t come this way yesterday.”
"I want to go with you.”
"Now, they will not separate us, we are siblings, you heard what Zamar said.”
"I'm not so sure," Nerisa interrupted.
"Why do you say this, Nerisa? It does not make sense for us to be separated.”
“Sense? Where is the sense in the, Almices? Think about what has happened to us so far, think about what they have done to that woman.” He glanced the woman who was still calling for the man who put her in the cart, insisting that it was a mistake. “I fear the worst, they will sell us separately, I am sure.” Nerisa's eyes reflected a bad omen.
“No, I don't think so.”
"Don't worry now, Janira," Almices stared at Nerisa. “We can do one thing to make sure.” The girls looked at him, waiting. “The truth is, we don't know when or whom they are going to sell us to. It is true that we do not know whether or not they will separate us; whatever happens to us or who buys us, the important thing is that we stay alive and vow not to rest until we meet again.” His sisters’ eyes welled up, about to cry.
"Let's swear it now.” Nerisa grabbed hold of her brother’s and her sister’s hands tightly.
"Yes, that's how we'll find each other.” The little one was now a little livelier.
"Let’s promise each other then.” Almices also took Janira's hand, forming a small circle between the three of them. “Repeat after me: I swear that wherever I am, I will look for my siblings until I find them and regain my freedom. I swear on my parents.” The girls repeated the oath while the other occupants of the cart, except the woman, who had already given up, looked at them not understanding what they were saying. Their language was foreign in these lands. The three children embraced each other affectionately, just as they had done on countless occasions since Almices turned ten. The tears now descended freely down his cheeks.
The entourage continued to move south to border one of the hills and then turned west toward the sea. Soon the city was in sight. Tyre was a city that after its reconstruction had grown along the coast taking advantage of the possibilities of maritime communication provided by its coveted geographical situation. As they approached the southern part of the city, more people were coming and going from their daily chores. They reached the foot of the small wall. Almices was surprised that such a large city had such a low wall. He would later learn that the residents no longer valued the walls. The city, which had long been the safest and most impregnable city in the world, had in fact remained undefeated until one hundred years before when the great Alexander besieged her with his Macedonian hosts and took her, exceeding all expectations. Below the walls, a flurry of people kept coming and going from one side to the other. The convoy arrived there and stopped in front of a very busy wooden raised decking.
The carts stopped next to some shops and the dealer entered one of them. The guards opened the cart gate where the children were and sent them inside one of the shops. It was built with long, dark wooden poles fastened together with strong hemp rope and had thick multi-coloured fabrics as walls. The captives crossed the shop and went out through a rear. There, a series of thick stakes driven into the ground were used for the guards to chain them to. It was a small square hidden from the outside where the carts had been left, away from prying eyes. From there the children could see the deck from behind. A simple staircase connected the ground to the decking. The guards brought the salves from the other cart next to the stakes. As always, they remained heavily guarded.
After a while, the slave master appeared. He was chatting with another elegantly dressed man in a rich, colourful tunic and braided sandals on his feet. They looked closely at the enslaved and continued their conversation. The murmur of people outside was increasing as the sun was climbing in the sky. At mid-morning, the slave owner's companion climbed the stairs to the platform and began to initiate appeals to the people accumulating outside. The guards roughly took the men from the other cart up to the platform. The man in the multi-coloured tunic was offering these men, who remained heavily guarded, flaunting the powerful musculature of one of them or the stature of another.
"They're selling them. They are selling them together.” Nerisa seemed hopeful.
"It's true," Janira said. “They will sell us together.”
The barter continued between the man on the stage and the roaring audience. The children did not understand what they said, but it seemed clear they were haggling. It carried on for quite some time, until at last three of them were brought down by some of the guards, walked past them prodded by the spears of their custodians, and were brought back into the shop.
"They have sold them separately," the boy's words reflected overwhelming gravity and pessimism. His sisters were silent. They hugged again, as if that were the last time.
The sale continued for much of the morning, until it was the children’s turn. The guards brought them up along with the Greek woman and the couple with the child. Everyone remained quiet, fearful of what might happen, with shackles on their feet. Their guards did not seem concerned that they might escape.
From the platform you could see the whole atmosphere of the square. There were many platforms, placed in a semicircle occupying a large space, numerous people wandering among them listening to the traders and looking at the human merchandise on sale. The man in the polychrome tunic began promoting his products to try and get the best sale. The public crowded round, to enjoy the show. Soon the bids began. When the sale was closed, a woman wearing beads released a victory cry, the guards grabbed Janira and took her down. Almices and Nerisa tried to keep her screaming and fighting, several blows to their backs deterred them.
The bidding resumed while the siblings watched helplessly with tears in their eyes as Janira disappeared in the crowd, not even giving them time to say goodbye to their little sister. The trader was increasingly raising his voice to attract the attention of potential buyers, pointing now to one, then to another. Another deal was closed, and the guards took the man while his wife and son cried. There was an uproar among the people. It was as if the public enjoyed watching the slaves suffer.
The seller continued to offer them to passers-by. The auction began again, without the children understanding what was said. This time it was tougher, however the guards finally took Nerisa and the woman she had talked to during the night. Nerisa, unable to articulate words, threw a deep and sad look at her brother, thinking that would be the last time she saw him. She walked down the steps as best she could, her legs barely holding her up, her eyes again filled with tears. Her heart was broken.
Almices felt sunken, he had just lost all his family. He lost all sense of